Groundbreaking motorcycle helmets 2020. While I wouldn't consider most of this info groundbreaking, pay particular attention to the AGV Pista helmet review beginning at 6:40. Some interesting insight into FIM helmet ratings that I wasn't aware of. Could this mean safer helmets from more manufacturers?

It's all about money. Imagine that. 1972 testing requirements? 27% testing upgrades? Poor Snell. Meh.. what for? Idiots gonna find a way to kill themselves regardless. And why would the manufacturers care if lame testing req's lead to more rider deaths? Like the tobacco industry, why would they knowingly release products that lead to possible deaths? Why would they kill their customer base? If lame helmet tech leads to deaths, there won't be anyone left to buy their crappy lids. Oh, and BTW, $2000 for that AGV Rossi lid? Really? Way to price the best, safest lids right out of the average riders' price range. If you want the safest, you gotta pay the mostest.

‘Real’ testing of helmets has not been done all that much as it is expensive and, well, the vast majority of people want cheap. So they buy the ‘safest cheap’ helmet they can buy. The ‘safest’ expensive helmet from 20 years ago would not hold a candle to the middle of the road helmet today as far as safety. Snell was pretty much testing helmets before anyone else was doing it seriously, but were aimed at cars as well as bikes. Somewhat different parameters.
While I liked my Arai from many years ago, my ‘fitted’ Bell Star Carbon is the nicest and best fitting helmet I have owned.
I am sure motorcycle helmet testing will get more focused and better, but most people are still going to buy the cheap helmet regardless.

If you're interested in more about FIM's new testing and what a snell or DOT sticker means, read "Helmet Safety Standards 2019 in Ultimate Motorcycling, January 29, 2019". As with most, you have to do your research and find manufactures who invest in R&D for racing product safety and then choose the good - better - best options that fit your budget and riding style. The best you can afford is better than nothing, a $130 bieffe helmet saved my ass many years ago. One cool thing about the FIM standard is that manufactures who get this accreditation will likely begin to use some of those features in lower price point helmets. Might make finding a -better- helmet a little easier.

I crashed once very, very hard in a SNELL Shoei in 1987 and once again in a Scorpion SNELL helmet in 2004. The Shoei had a deep gouge about 7 or 8 inches long from face to skull and I didn't even get a headache. GSXR750 on the Old Pali Highway on Oahu. I high sided learning to slide the rear and the bike went over the cliff. Luckily I stayed on the road. The Scorpion got bonked hard on 166 right near Blackjack Creek in 2004 when I made a bad passing decision (two cars at once) and the lady I was passing decided to pass the car in front of HER while I was right at about her rear passenger door. That helmet got slammed and scrubbed, hard, lost the shield, and again - I walked. SNELL works for me. But, yeah, I'd like a lighter lid. But you gotta b e able to afford it.